Iowa STEM Council Awards Scale Up Programs

The Iowa Governor’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Council will impact more than 100,000 Iowa learners through approximately 2,818 educators in year four of the statewide STEM Scale-Up initiative for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Through a rigorous review process, the STEM Council selected 14 high-quality STEM programs across Iowa’s schools, after-school programs and other settings for grades pre-K through 12. These programs range from building robots and wind turbines to virtual reality and STEM career awareness, demonstrating an appeal to diverse youth, success in improving academic performance, evidence of integrating STEM concepts, development of school-business-community partnerships and sustainability beyond STEM Council financial support.

“In the fourth year of STEM Scale-Up, the STEM Council has partnered with nearly every school district in our state, which shows the amazing growth and outreach STEM has had in the last three years,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, co-chair of the STEM Council. “Delivering these programs to the areas of the greatest need is always a priority for the STEM Council and guiding the regional STEM managers to build capacity to this level is extremely rewarding for all of us.”

Each of the six regional STEM managers, guided by their regional advisory boards, awarded these programs with vital funding from the Iowa Legislature, leveraging $3.1 million spread evenly across regions of the state.

Results from the 2013-2014 Iowa STEM evaluation report show more than 90 percent of students who participated in a STEM Scale-Up program reported higher interest in at least one STEM subject or career. Nearly 75 percent of participating teachers report greater skill and confidence in teaching STEM and continue their program after the STEM Council’s financial support ends.